COVID Catch Up Premium
2020-21

Issue identified

Action

How impact will be evaluated

Impact

Access to their own IT device limiting remote learning for many students.

Lack of pcs and laptops in school limits the capacity to use IT effectively across the curriculum.

390 Chromebooks purchased through LGfL framework and sold to parents  at a subsidised rate, with an enhanced subsidy for PP learners. All students in Y7/8 issued with a device for use in school and at home.

All students have access to a Chromebook / laptop for use at home.

IT embedded into curriculum delivery including homework.

Evidence of enhanced IT access supporting retention and retrieval and accelerating learning.

64% of students in Y7-10 2020-21 had purchased devices including 79% of Year 7-8 students. All students in Year 7-8 2020-21 now have a  device for use in school and at home. 

Students have greater access to lesson resources and homework tasks on google classroom and a range of online resources. This supports long term learning and retrieval.

IT is being integrated into the curriculum – examples include music technology, and CAD in Technology. 

Limited KS2 data and concern that writing fluency and confidence may have been impacted by the disruption, especially in Year 7.

Joined No More Marking national project – Year 7 students complete an assessed writing task and English teachers took part in standardised marking.

A report was produced and shared with all staff with shared priority actions.

Students were reassessed in the summer term to measure progress and the marking activity was repeated.

Curriculum planning focussed on addressing gaps in learning.

Accelerate the progress of Year 7 students in writing.

English teachers recevied feedback on the accuracy and consistency of judging writing, and all teachers received guidance on priorities for improving student writing.

AW students started with a scaled score lower than national and were slightly higher than national when re-tested.

Girls improved by 23 scaled points; girls nationally by 18.

Boys improved by 26 scaled points; boys nationally by 17. AW boys are now performing better than boys nationally, having been 1 scaled point below in September.

Pupil Premium (PP) students improved by 26 scaled points;  PP students nationally  by 17.

Issue identified

Action

How impact will be evaluated

Impact

Some students had stalled in their progress in English – this impact across the curriculum due to reduced literacy and confidence in literacy skills. Photography portfolios were impacted by 2 periods of school closure during the course.

Small group intervention sessions in English language  and Photography GCSE for Year 10/11 students who had been most impacted by school closure.

Increase attainment of students  in English Language and Photography.

Increase in student confidence and engagement.

Estimated progress score of Year 11 students improved on average by 0.05.

Increase in student confidence especially in Year 10, where the intervention continued until the end of the Summer term.

Portfolio evidence significantly improved in Photography GCSE.

The impact of the intervention on attainment was reduced by school closure January – March 2021.

Increase in number of students requiring behaviour mentoring and support reintegrating to school in March 2021.

Additional member of staff working in the IMP 4 mornings per week to provide intervention for KS3 students needing intensive support.

Reduced risk of permanent exclusion / Alternative Provision for KS3 students

Reduce impact of negative behaviours on other students in KS3.

Students who were part of this project remained in mainstream provision. This was a high cost intervention per student involved, but benefitted a much wider group of students by improving behaviour at KS3 (especially in Y7, where the transition process was significantly impacted by COVID disruption). It was more cost-effective than an external Alternative Provision placement.